Toppenish, Washington

Wednesday we turn the horses south to visit Toppenish - "Where the West still lives." Entirely within the boundaries of the Yakama Indian Nation, this is one of the tidiest towns we have ever visited. And they have great signage! You can find everything you need, and drivers are especially courteous if you happen to be (ala yours truly) bumbling around trying to take photos of their fabulous murals.

Visitors' Center

The folks in the visitors center told us the town was struggling financially when they hit upon the mural concept as a way of bringing business to town. It has, many years and over 70 murals later, turned the town into a bustling art center. The painting of a mural, in one day by a team of a dozen or more artists, is an annual event. Financed by an art show and auction, the one day mural painting event and auction is a showcase for dozens of western artists. We thoroughly enjoyed touring the visitors center display of paintings from which the murals were made, as well as a collection of work by other western artists.

If you'd like to see the whole collection the Toppenish Chamber of Commerce web site has a gallery of all the murals. The photos are each annotated with information about the history represented and the artists who completed the work. I've only included a few of our photos in the album (see below) as their website does such a nice job. Individual artists submit these small paintings to a committee, and a choice is made based on several criteria, especially how well the design reflects the city's history. One is selected for the year's project, and that artist becomes lead on the projects. Multiple other artists then join in to complete the large mural on a building. It's an amazing project, and really brings not only the town, but the entire western art community, together. Because the artists participating are professionals, the quality of the murals surpasses that of most we've seen in other towns.

After touring the downtown mural displays we went over to the Yakama Nation Cultural Heritage Center. The restaurant was closing soon, so lunch came before the museum. Both were highly enjoyable. I had a traditional salmon and dumpling dish, called Luk-a-meen. With fry bread on the side and fresh fruit too, it was a very satisfying meal. The lunch service includes a full dinner style salad bar, and the prices are very reasonable so we'd definitely recommend a stop there. The restaurant serves all three meals but closes briefly between each. There's also an RV park as part of the complex which could be a convenient stop if just passing through. 

The museum is nicely done - beautiful examples of bead work and basketry as well as other handcrafts, legends and history of the Yakima Nation, which encompasses many smaller tribes, and the impact historic events has had on their culture, as well as brief mention of other Native Americans who have been important in national history.

This beautiful little town has to be seen to be believed. There are artworks at every turn, tucked in to small corners and around park areas. It's truly a treat to visit Toppenish! Here are just a few more photos.